i I News photo by Scott David Harrison Laid off workers at Westar gathered at the Community Complex Thursday to map strategies for Tuesday's public hearing on Pope and Talbot's purchase of the Castlegar mill and TFL No. 23. IWA united for hearings continued from front page “Generally, we don’t have any objections to the purchase of the TFL, we just object to where it is being split,” Weir said on Jan. 23. “By splitting the TFL (south of the Trans-Cana- da Highway), we have the potential to lose be- tween 70,000 to 75,000 cubic metres in annu- al allowable cut.” Weir says Revelstoke will push to have the TFL split at Pingston Creek, 50 kilometres south of Revel- the commission. The commission is expected to make, a deci- sion on the mill sale and TFL transfer on March 26 — six weeks after the final public hearing. That isn’t sitting well with the mill workers, who have been off the job since No- vember. “One thing that you have to bear in mind is that-we don't disagree with the publichearings, the publichas the right to know,” Ferreira said. “What we have a stoke. “All we are ask+ ing for is an equi- table split,” Weir said. “We agree with the sale of Westar, we sup- port it. But ( with problem with is ‘We have to be behind Pope and Talbot’s waiting six bloody submission and explain to the minister that these are our jobs and this Castlegar’s TFL.’ weeks for a final decision.” Ferreira said. the union should — IWA’s Tony Ferreira -US¢. the public hearing as an op- the TFL split) all our resources will be shipped to Castlegar.” Weir also said that Revelstoke officials will be in Castlegar to argue their position when the proposed transfer goes to public hearings. Those hearings begin in Castlegar Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Community Complex. Other hearings will be held in Nakusp on Feb 12, Revelstoke on Feb, 13 and Sicamous on Feb. 14. The local union has decided to go one step further than Revelstoke. Union members are planning to car pool or bus it to each public hearing to ensure the Castlegar mill is pre- served and the proposed TFL transfer is re- F) “We need the support of our membership, be- cause nobody is going to do it for us,” Ferreira told the room. “We have to be behind Pope and Talbot’s submission and explain to the minister that these are our jobs and this Castlegar’s TFL.” Ferreira urged the laid off workers to show up in force at Tuesday’s public hearing. He said the more people the five-MLA commission sees, the better off the union chances of a favorable Two members of the commission include Rossland-Trail MLA Ed Conroy and Nelson- “ Greston MLA Corky Evans. Columbia River- Revelstoke MLA Jim Doyle is also sitting on \ portunity to stress upon the commission the need for speedy ap- proval on Pope and Talbot's mill purchase and TFL transfer. % Ferreira also said the laid off workers and their families should start a letter writing cam- paign, pushing for an earlier decision date. “You have to write letters, get your wives to write letters. We have to keep on top of things to keep what is ours,” Ferreira said. One IWA member expressed disappoint- ment over the role Conroy has been playing in the mill sale and TFL transfer. Despite holding special meetings with Forest Minister Dan Miller and being part of the commission, the unidentified worker said the rookie should be doingmore. — , “We put (Conroy) there to doa job for us,” he said. “What has he done?” The same man criticized IWA boss Jack Munro for not taking a more active role in the ing the union’s future in Castlegar. ; Instead of blaming people, Ferreira said the local workers must unite to ensure their future. “What we have here in Castlegar is a mill that has good paying jobs, good benefits and a good pension plan,” he said, adding that Revel- stoke’s non-union mills are stepping on Castle- gar toes by demanding a greater share of the TFL. “That alone should give the minister the message that timber should go to Castlegar.” y We're out to meet you! A Federal Business Development Bank é f représentative will be * f arrange an appoint- ment to discuss finan- 4 cing and management paying your com- 4 munity a visit in the next few days. Call f today and services (counselling, ¥ 3 Z| planning and training). At Castlegar on February 12th, 1992 ",, COMMITTED TO YOUR SUCCESS } Federal Business Banque fédérale SADR LIELE @ Bank de wre~ises Canada El: you remember back. over those 80 years, remember the good times — but don't forget to keep looking ahead to the good time still to come! Love, your son Harold and family, Lethbridge, Alberta. "80TH Peter Pereversoff — Feb. 11TH — _ 1992 "“$PECTACULAR!..." A MUST SEE FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY THE BEST ICE SHOW EVER!” ald - West Point. WY we © Rf Pp Champro STARRING 2 MANLeY ELIZABETH eee te FRIDAY, MARCH 20 8:00 P.M. Cominco Grena, Trail, B.C. Tickets on Sale at: Brought to You By: PETE ee (45) BCTV @ Saturday, February 8 , 1992 Mayor calling on to support mill tranfser W@ Audrey Moore wants government to make speedy decision on fate of the Castlegar mill Scott David Harrison EDITOR Audrey Moore wants to get the logs rolling in Castlegar. And to do so, the long-time ‘mayor is calling upon area cit- ‘izens to attend Tuesday’s pub- lic hearing on the sale of Castlegar’s mill and the trans- fer of Tree Farm Licence No. 23. “It’s-extremely important that citizens show up,” Moore said. “It’s about the future of our sawmill and the future of our economy.” The hearing, slated for 7 p.m. at the Community Com- plex, will help the government decide whether to approve Pope and Talbot’s bid to take over logging operations from ailing Westar. “If we care about our econ- New Low Price - QC-21F31S Quasar Price omy, we have come out to the hgaring,” she said. Moore said the city will make a presentation at the hearing in an effort to twist the government’s arm in mak- ing a earlier decision date. The government is expected to make a final decision on Pope and Talbot’s bid on March 26 — six weeks after the public hear- iw) ings conclude Audrey Moore in Sicamous. “How can families plan,” she said, upset that the government will wait six weeks before handing down the final word. “We have to push for an earlier indica- tion from the government be- fore (March 26). “Our people have been out of work long enough.” Moore said she is delighted Performance ° 21" (51 cm) Monitor/Receiver ° 4 Watts Audio ¢ Audio/Video Input ¢ 25 Function Remote Control Breaker ............... citizens that Pope and Talbot is seek- ing to continue logging opera- tions in the city. She said the company has a solid financial track record, unlike debt- plagued Westar. “T think we are fortunate in this city to have a company as capital sound as Pope and Tal- bot wanting to purchase the mill,” Moore said. At city council Tuesday, Pope and Talbot’s Canadian- based president Abe Friesen said he sees nothing but op- portunity with the Castlegar mill purchase. He said the American-owned company is_ prepared to take the steps needed to make the local mill competitive, including a mod- ernization of the Castlegar op- eration. “T think Castlegar will gain with Pope and _ Talbot,” Friesen told council. “It’s a win situation for the community.” Pope and Talbot is propos- ing to purchase the mill and the TFL for $22 million U.S. Plus Price Qua ~’ Breaker........ r Some Cool Cash, Turn To Your Classified Ad-Visor! When you've got something to trade, sell or rent our expert ad-visors can help you find the words that can help find the buyer. 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